Need to Know
by schrodingers cat 13
Summary: Chase's insecurities finally get the best of him. He decides to ask for House's help in determining Cameron's true feelings. Is he only asking for trouble and how will House react? Humour with a dash of angst. COMPLETE
1. Chapter 1

**Disclaimer**: _Neither the show nor the characters belong to me. Oh, yeah, and I also borrowed the title (what can I say, it just fit so perfectly)._

**A/N:** _This is my first fanfic, but no worries, I know what I'm doing._

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**Need to Know**

**Chapter 1**

Chase was walking towards his destination with determination. He barely registered the few scattered people passing him by in the corridors. He was a man on a mission. After thinking long and hard about the issue he finally decided that he needed to know no matter what. However, as he reached his goal, he stopped and looked through the glass doors into the office, hesitating for a moment.

The man was sitting behind his desk, working on the computer. Chase took a deep breath, once again re-evaluation his decision. He had to do this and he had to do it now. The matter was keeping him awake at night and entering his consciousness at the most inconvenient of times. He knew this was his only option; he'll deal with the consequences once they present themselves. With that thought in mind he pushed open the door and strode purposefully into the office.

House lifted his head to look at the visitor, showing no surprise as his identity was revealed. His face was blank as always, showing no emotions and never revealing what the man was thinking. He hadn't spoken, apparently waiting for him to reveal the reasons for this late night visit.

Here goes nothing, thought Chase to himself before opening his mouth to speak, "I want you to kiss Allison."

The older man raised his eyebrows in surprise. If nothing else, at least he managed to shock the otherwise stoic man, a small victory, but a victory nonetheless.

"Allison, as in Allison Cameron, your better half, well, more like quarter?"

Chase quickly masked the fleeting look of annoyance on his face before answering, "Yes."

House leisurely leaned back in his seat, "I was wondering when those wallaby genes of yours will resurface again, I must say this exceeded all my expectations."

"I'm serious. You want money? Just say a number." He drawled in his Australian accent.

The frown on House's face indicated that he was deep in thought. Finally, he relented, "I can't for the life of me figure out what you'll get out of this. Care to enlighten me?"

Chase sighed and looked down before admitting in a quiet voice," I just want to see what she'll do."

House smirked at the admission, crossing his arms over his chest, which caused a surge of wild anger to course through Chase's veins. He clenched his fists, digging his nails into the flesh and took a few deep breaths to try to calm down.

"Well, will you do it?" he said in a tense voice.

House used his best contemplative tone, "I must say that your offer is quite appealing, but I'd like to consult with my conscience before I make my decision. I'm sure you're aware of the delicacy of the matter, I'd just like to cover all the aspects of the issue…"

Chase interrupted him then, not wanting to have to listen to his babbling for another second, "Fine, take your time. Talk to Wilson, whatever you need to do. You know where to find me when you make a decision."

And with that he walked out of the door, not casting a single glance back.

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**A/N:** _Now about the reviews: I don't need them and my updating speed will in no way depend on their number. I especially don't need the high praise, because I'm not doing this to feel all warm and fuzzy inside. However, if you do decide to review, be critical, even flames are fine. And all you grammar Nazis out there, this is your opportunity, I give you free reign! _


	2. Chapter 2

**Disclaimer:** _Refer to chapter 1._

**A/N:** _Wow, I guess that reverse psychology stuff really works, or maybe I'm just that good! I'm glad you enjoyed the previous chapter, because that's the main reason I'm doing this. Yeah, I forgot to specify the time frame, I remembered just minutes after posting the chapter. __ -.-_'' _ I was thinking either season 4 or 5, but definitely before Chase and Cameron got married. Bare in mind that I haven't seen season 5 yet, but I just happened to stumble upon some spoilers. I don't think I'm going to mention any specific events so I suppose it doesn't matter much_.

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**Chapter 2**

House barged into Wilson's office the next day and slumped into the chair without anything resembling a greeting.

"Chase wants me to kiss Cameron."

To say that Wilson was shocked would be a great understatement. His eyes were wide open as was his mouth. In fact, House was sure if this were a cartoon, Wilson's lower jaw would have hit the floor.

"Close your mouth Jimmy, I can see what you had for lunch," said House with a disgusted frown on his face.

Wilson did what he was told, still trying to comprehend what he just heard.

"You're not serious, are you?"

"I'm always serious," said House with a completely straight face.

Wilson snorted, "Yeah, right," but something about House's demeanour made him think that he was actually telling the truth this time.

"Wait, you **are** serious," he exclaimed excitedly.

House rolled his eyes, "That's what I said, didn't I?"

"But why would he…" Wilson said frowning.

"Apparently he still thinks Cameron has the hots for me and wants me to test that theory."

"Will you do it?"

"Well, I don't want Cameron fawning all over me again."

"You really believe she still has feelings for you?" asked Wilson with surprise evident in his voice.

House shrugged, "Either that or she'll start hating me and I don't want that either."

"Oh, really?" said Wilson leaning forward in his chair and resting his interlaced fingers on the table doing his best shrink impersonation.

House gave him a look that clearly said that he will have none of that, yet he still explained his previous statement, "I kind of like where we are at the moment."

"And where is that?"

"I don't know, but I like the view."

House looked at the ceiling, sighing, before settling his gaze on Wilson again. "What would you do?"

Wilson just opened his moth to give him an answer when House interrupted him, "Wait, that's a stupid question, we all know what **you** would do."

Wilson was used to House's barbs about his infidelity by now so he just shot him a look, not deeming the comment worthy of a response.

"You know what? I think you like all the attention, and that you actually want her to still have feelings for you. You want her to admire you…"

"She can admire me all she wants from afar, but I don't want her climbing all over me. Actually, I'm much better when admired from far away, you get a whole new perspective, like with Nazca. It looks just like dirt when seen up close, but it's a work of art when seen from a plane."

Wilson raised his eyebrows, "You're comparing yourself to alien drawings." He closed his eyes in contemplation and started shaking his index finger towards House reopening his eyes, "I might just see the similarities with the alien part…"

"Alien drawings…" said House in the most condescending voice he could muster and stood up from the chair.

"Why do I even bother. Thank you for being such a good friend," he said in a mock hurt voice while walking towards the door.

When he was almost out of the office, Wilson called after him, "Wait, what are you going to do? House?!" but House ignored him and simply closed the door behind him.

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**A/N**_**:**__ For all of you who didn't know, the Nazca lines are designs in the ground in the shape of animals (monkeys, lizards, birds…). They are located in a Peruvian desert. There are several theories about their meaning, and one of them proposes they are a landing site for alien spacecrafts. That's what Wilson was referring to._


	3. Chapter 3

**Disclaimer:** _Refer to chapter 2._

**A/N: **_Ok, I know this looks suspiciously like a songfic, and technically I suppose it is one. I am __**so**__ sorry about that, really! My excuse is that House loves music and I believe it relaxes him and helps him think, so it seemed only natural to incorporate it in this chapter._

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**Chapter 3**

House would normally have no trouble accepting the proposition without any nagging second thoughts, but this time, it was different. He was joking when he told Chase, that this is a delicate matter and that he'd have to think about it carefully, but now it seemed that that was exactly what he was doing. If this were any other woman he would probably do it right away. The fact that this was Cameron somehow made a whole lot of a difference and he wasn't even sure why.

He lowered the glass on the piano, without a coaster, naturally, and continued playing random melodies.

An image of Cameron floated into his mind. They've become closer these past few months since she came back. It probably helped that they no longer had the employer/employee relationship, no more power differential between them, and she definitely took advantage of that. He had to admit that he liked this new side of her, the more assertive side, that wasn't afraid to speak her mind.

She also seemed to be more relaxed in his presence, always smiling and joking, her whole attitude towards him made him believe she considered him a friend. That was why he kept drifting towards her. He liked that atmosphere of easiness, trust and playfulness that existed between them. Everyone else had some expectations of him or demanded something from him, trying to change him, to tame the wild beast he had become with years, but not her. No, with her he felt free, comfortable. He wondered if she felt the same, since she so often sought him out as well. He wondered whether she smiled when she was with him because she enjoyed his company, or because her life was so dreamy at the moment that not even he could knock her off her cloud nine.

_Do you smile to tempt a lover, Mona Lisa?  
Or is this your way to hide a broken heart?  
Many dreams have been brought to your doorstep  
They just lie there and they die there  
Are you warm, are you real, Mona Lisa?  
Or just a cold and lonely lovely work of art?_

He found himself playing the chords to Nat King Cole's Mona Lisa. A smile crossed his lips when he finished the song. He thought that she truly was a piece of art as he shifted back to playing random chords.

He had to admit that Chase's proposition really threw him for a loop. He knew that Chase was insecure. He needed constant confirmation, probably a result of his daddy abandoning him. But perhaps, just perhaps, he might have been on to something. If she did still have feelings for him… then what?

_Anna, you come and ask me girl  
To set you free, girl  
You say he loves you more than me  
So I will set you free__  
Go with him (Anna)  
Go with him (Anna)_

Would Chase break up with her if she returned the kiss? He had been obsessing over her for years, trying everything in his power to make her his. Abandonment issues, yet again, clearly. He found it almost amusing that he would only have to lift a finger and she'd be by his side, while Chase had to practically drag her with him, and she still struggled.

_Anna, just one more thing girl  
You give back your ring to me  
And I will set you free, __go with him__  
Go with him (Anna)__  
Go with him (Anna)__  
You can go with him girl  
(Anna) go with him_

Oh, great, now he moved on to Beatles. He better stop playing before his subconsciousness thinks that Celine Dion would be appropriate mood music. He wished that whoever thought My Heart Will Go On was a good song, would be on that ship, sharing its fate.

Standing up he started looking around the apartment. Letting his mind wander was obviously not helping, it was time for a more organised approach.

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**A/N: **_The next chapter is already written and will be posted as soon as it goes through the editing phase, which shouldn't take more that two days. By the way, Nat King Cole started smoking because he believed it would help keep his voice low. Any guesses how he died? Yup, lung cancer it was. So, all you kids out there who think smoking is cool, it may be so, dying however, not so much. _


	4. Chapter 4

**Disclaimer: **_Refer to chapter 3. _

**A/N: **_Yes, I know this chapter is short, but if you whine about it, it won't make it any longer. The last one was longer, so on average they're still …__average__._

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_**Chapter 4**

He walked over to his jacket and pulled out a black marker that he 'borrowed' from the hospital. Now, to find an appropriate surface to write on… He looked around and his eyes immediately caught sight of his kitchen table. That should do it. The tablecloth was white and he practically never ate there anyway. He wrote **YES** in large capital letters on the top left side, **NO **on the right and drew a long line between them. Let's get to work now, shall we?

-she's hot (that's a definite **YES**)

**-**pissing off chase is always fun (and judging by his barely contained furry in his office, this was the kind of fun you'd want front row seats to, so another **YES**)

-Chase wants him to do it (hmm, was that a yes or a no, let's say it's a **YES**)

-she will probably get angry with Chase once she finds out it was all his idea (**YES**)

- she might also get angry with him, the kind of angry where she doesn't want to see him, or talk to him, there may also be some threats of bodily harm (that was without a doubt a **NO**)

-she might not get angry with him (he didn't know which one was worse, but he knew that this scenario could lead up to a whole lot of messiness, so **NO**)

-she and Chase could break up (another **YES**, uh oh, should he be worried that that's a yes; nah, angry, depressed Chase is definitely a pro)

-she's hot (**YES**)

-she can kiss, that was a proven fact (**YES**)

-she might not kiss back or she'll avoid the kiss altogether (he'll make sure the second one won't happen, and the first one… who's he kidding, of course she will kiss back, hmm, this one will be **unclassified**)

-it will be fun in so many ways (**YES**)

-he'll find out if she really still has feelings for him (he couldn't help but be a little curious, after all, he had to know everyone's affairs, **YES**)

Counting all the **YES**'s the decision seemed obvious, but there were so many things that couldn't be predicted. And the fact that she could get angry with him weighted more than any other on his mind. Perhaps the decision will be easier after he sleeps on it. He looked at the now ruined tablecloth again, pulled it off the table, bunched it in a ball and stuffed it in the trash can. Just to remove all the evidence. He'll ask Wilson to buy him a new one tomorrow. Perhaps he'll even allow him to buy a peach coloured one if he's in a good mood.

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**A/N: **_I have finally decided what House will do about this situation, and in the next chapter you, as well as Chase, shall find out the decision. So, stay tuned!_


	5. Chapter 5

**Disclaimer: **_Refer to chapter 4._

**A/N: **_September- the paperwork month. This month I will be spending ridiculous amounts of time filling out forms, running from office to office dealing with bored office workers and filling out yet more pointless paperwork. Therefore, I dedicate this chapter to everyone who hates paperwork and bureaucratic formalities as much as I do. _

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_**Chapter 5**

"If it isn't the grand surgeon."

Chase turned around to find House leaning on the door before he continued meticulously washing his hands. "I've got a surgery in 10 minutes."

"So?" said House looking entirely disinterested.

"I don't have time for your nonsense. If you've got something to say, say it."

"Jeez, someone woke up on the wrong side of the bed today..."

After he got nothing, but silence in return, he relented, "Oh, alright," and limped towards Chase.

"I've made my decision."

Chase turned off the water and carefully dried his hands before turning to face House.

"I'll do it. And you don't have to pay me. Prostituting your girlfriend to me probably wouldn't go too well with you conscience, so I thought I'd do you a favour and take her for free," said House with a smirk on his face.

"I'm not prostituting her," retorted Chase, his temper rising.

House raised his eyebrows. "No? Oh, riiight, you're 'offering me her services'," he said while using his cane-free hand to make air quotes.

"By the way, if we're doing this, we should do it properly. Kissing doesn't really say much. I mean, it's barely even considered cheating. So I thought we should go all the way, just to make sure."

"Don't you dare…" said Chase in a threatening voice. He was clenching his fists and his face was becoming increasingly red.

"Woah there, mate! Chill, it was just a suggestion; we'll stick to the original plan then."

"Right," said Chase, still clenching his fists, "I'll need some proof."

"Don't worry about that, I'll reserve front row seats for you. I know it's something you want to see with your own eyes", said House with a smile on his lips and patted Chase on the shoulder.

"Oh, sorry, did you just scrub in? My bad, I guess you'll have to do it all over again."

Chase practically tore the scrubs from his body and threw them in the nearest bin.

House was already on his way to the door when he stopped and turned around, "Are you sure you're ready to perform that surgery? You look a bit flushed and your hands are shaking, you might have caught some bug. You better go check yourself out. It would be a shame if Cuddy fired you for killing a patient."

Chase was just about to say something when House interrupted him, "Hey, no need to thank me. I do this because I care."

That said, he walked out of the room and the door closed behind him with a soft _whoosh_.

As angry as Chase was at House, he still decided that he better call off the surgery, because he was in no state to operate.

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House was just leaving the cafeteria when he noticed Wilson out of the corner of his eye. He was the last person he wanted to see at the moment. He'd want to talk about ethics, or worse, feelings. The mere thought of it made him cringe. Wilson could be so dense sometimes. He didn't get that there were no feelings involved, it was just fun. Messing with people was fun, that's all there was to it. Besides, he was a busy man. Seducing women needed some careful planning. You've got to prep the field before going in for a touchdown.

Oh, crap. Wilson noticed him and quickly made his way towards him. This was the first time House was actually happy to be in the clinic. He grabbed a file and speed-limped into the exam room. Safety!

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**A/N: **_I almost feel sorry for Chase._


	6. Chapter 6

**Disclaimer:** _Refer to chapter 5. _

**A/N: **_This idea came to me when I was lying in bed one night, unable to sleep yet again. It seemed to fit into the story so I thought I might as well use it. You will probably be pleased to see that Cameron finally makes an appearance! Yup, we are moving forward with the story._

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Chapter 6**

Cameron was leaning on the counter of the nurse's station in the ER, jotting down some notes in a file, when she heard someone walk towards her. She looked up to find House standing there in an olive green shirt, grey blazer and a pair of dark blue faded jeans holding a bunch of colourful balloons floating mid-air.

She put down her pen, "What's with the balloons?"

"Have you had a break in the last hour?"

She frowned in confusion, "No."

"Great, then you're having one now," he said with a smile on his face and started walking towards the door.

"Wait!" Cameron called after him, "What is this all about?"

House stopped and turned around. "You'll see. Now come on," he urged her impatiently.

"I can't just take a break whenever I feel like it," said Cameron with righteous indignation.

"Yes you can, and you will. Now will you come alone, or will I have to drag you with me?"

She looked him up and down, trying to figure out what crazy idea he thought of this time. He just kept looking expectantly at her. Finally she sighed and said,"Fine."

Together they walked out through the lobby attracting quite a few curious glances. Because of the balloons, no doubt.

Once they got outside, her curiosity got the better of her, "Are you going to tell me what the balloons are for or not?"

He glanced down at her looking thoughtful, "I forgot, did I already tell you to wait and see or not?"

Cameron rolled her eyes, "Can I at least ask where you got them?"

_Uh oh_, he thought, here we go. He used his most innocent expression to answer that question, "Paediatrics."

Predictably, she was outraged, "You stole them from little kids!"

"I … borrowed them."

"So you'll give them back?"

"No, not exactly," he drew out slowly before hurriedly adding, "But it was an emergency."

She raised her eyebrows, "What kind of an emergency constitutes using a bunch of helium filled balloons?"

"A very fun one?"

She just laughed at that, what else could she do.

Suddenly he stopped,"Here we are."

She looked around noticing they were standing in the middle of a grass field near a tree about two hundred yards from the hospital. There were people walking on the paths around them, students mostly, probably passing the time till their next class.

That's when House slowly lowered himself on the grass and lay down on his back still clutching the balloons. Cameron appeared to be frozen in spot so he tapped the spot beside him looking up at her.

"I just washed my hair this morning."

He looked completely unmoved by that statement, "So?"

She didn't show any inclination for moving any time soon, so he sighed and sat up.

"Hold this," he ordered her as he gave her the balloons.

He took of his blazer and then outstretched his hand to get the balloons back. He laid down the blazer next to him and patted that spot again.

"Is the princess happy now or is there anything else bothering her?"

She simply smiled and lay down using his blazer as a pillow. She couldn't help, but still feel a bit uneasy about this whole situation, and his uncharacteristingly gentlemanly behaviour did nothing to ease her mind.

On the other hand, she could use a break. The ER was extremely busy this morning, it only quieted down about an hour ago. It was also a very lovely day. The sun was shining and since it was already late summer it wasn't that hot anymore, it was just warm enough. The sky was covered with a few fluffy white clouds and the only sound she could hear was the hushed hubbub of passers-by. She was gradually beginning to calm down.

She felt House move a little and suddenly saw a bright yellow balloon floating towards the sky.

She turned her head to look at House as he started talking, not taking his eyes from the gently swaying balloon, "I used to do this when I was a kid. I'd fill them myself whenever I could get my hands on helium, otherwise I'd buy them. Then I'd climb on a nearby hill, one where there were no people, and I'd lie down and let them go, one by one."

_And I sometimes wished I was one of those balloons and the wind would carry me far, far away_, but she didn't need to know that.

He looked at her briefly before turning his gaze towards the balloons in his hand. He chose a light green one this time. He took it in his right hand, held it for a few seconds, and then let it soar into the sky.

They both followed its path with their eyes as he continued talking, "They can travel for several hundred miles if the conditions are just right. So as I released them I always wondered where they would end up and how they would get there. If they'd get stuck in a tree on the other side of the hill or if they'd fly all the way to the next country."

Once the green balloon was nothing but a dot in the sky, he let go of another one, a bright read one.

That's when Cameron decided to speak, "They always made me sad. These floating balloons."

She felt him look at her and she glanced at him briefly before settling her eyes on the balloon again.

She knew he needed an explanation, so she continued, "One of the reasons was that I couldn't help but think that this balloon escaped a little girl or boy who was crying now because of it."

She paused shortly before continuing, "And the other reason, the more important one, was that I also wondered where did it come from and where it would end up. It would never see the place where it was released from again and it would probably end up in some tree, all alone."

"It's a _balloon_."

"I know, I just…"she couldn't find the right words to explain her feelings. Probably because they really were silly, even she knew that.

"So I gather you never released one?"

She looked at him, "No."

He still had two balloons in his left had, a dark blue one and a purple one. He took the purple one and offered it to her.

She hesitated, "I…"

"Oh right, you don't want it to end up all lonely and depressed."

She gave him a sheepish smile. He sighed exasperatedly and approached the two balloons, tying them together.

"Now they'll have someone to talk to once they get stuck in a tree. That better?" he asked her as he offered her the balloons.

"Let's release them together."

He looked at her suspiciously but didn't comment on it, so she took hold of one string while he held the other.

She started the countdown, "5…4…3…2…1…"

Each let go of their string and the balloons took off together.

Suddenly they were both startled by a beeping sound. Cameron looked at her pager, it was the ER.

She sat up and looked at House regrettably, "Break's over."

"You should learn to delegate. What's the point of being a boss if you have to do all the work anyway?"

"Don't you have any work to do?"

"Nope, unlike you, I know how to delegate."

Cameron just shook her head and stood up.

She hesitated for a moment, "Thanks… for this," and started walking towards the hospital with a smile on her face while House remained lying on the grass.

She had to admit that she enjoyed herself. House could be a pleasant company on the rear occasion when he wasn't trying to irritate you. Still, she couldn't help but wonder what was the purpose of all this, since he wasn't one to do nice things just to make you feel good, at least not without ulterior motives. She just couldn't lose the feeling that he was up to something and that usually meant trouble.

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**A/N:** _This one sure is long. I thought about breaking it up in two chapters, but that would mess with the continuity. I've got a feeling you won't complain about that, though. It also seems kind of mushy, although I think it could still be considered within the realms of the possible. And for all the environmentally friendly people, I can assure you that the balloons and the strings used in this chapter were made out of biodegradable materials. _:)


	7. Chapter 7

**Disclaimer: **_Refer to chapter 6._

**A/N: **_This chapter may appear rather random and boring, but it does serve a certain purpose. There is also a Cuddy scene, feel free to skip that one, since it's not relevant to plot. I just used it for the sake of variety._

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_**Chapter 7**

Dr. Cuddy was walking towards the elevators when she caught sight of the person she was looking for.

"House!"

House turned around and plastered a rather obviously fake smile on his face.

"Dr. Cuddy, how's it hanging, or should I say they?" he replied with an all too cheerful expression, giving her breasts a once over.

Cuddy decided to ignore that and went straight to the matter at hand, "How many clinic hours do you owe me this week? 10? 20?"

"None," he said, still smiling.

She snorted, "Right, and I'm Queen Victoria."

"So that's what your porn name is. You should go with something that packs more of a punch like Queen Boobylicious."

Oh, if looks could kill, he'd be dead a thousand times over.

"Stay here," she ordered him none too gently and went over to the nearby computer.

House remained standing there, waiting expectantly for her to reveal her findings.

Cuddy typed something and looked at the screen. Her expression turned into one of sheer bewilderment. She pushed some more keys to recheck her result, yet it obviously remained the same since she was now walking back towards him with a slightly shocked expression.

"It seems that you have fulfilled the quota for the week."

"Told you so," he paused slightly and then whispered, "Queen." He gave her a wink before walking away.

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It was 4 pm and House was sitting in his office contemplating the logistics of his 'mission', when he noticed a certain Oncologist approaching his office. He stood up, trying to sneak towards the balcony when…

"House!"

He sighed. What is it with people hounding him today?

He turned around and smiled, "Wilson, still chasing those naughty nurses or have you upgraded to naughty doctors?"

"I'm skipping those, decided to go straight to the top," Wilson answered, not blinking an eye.

House raised his eyebrows, but Wilson simply sat down on the chair in front of the desk. House followed suit.

"So, have you decided what are you going to do?"

"About what?" asked House, leaning back in his chair.

"About the situation."

"What situation? Oh, you mean Chase asking me to smooch his girlfriend?"

Wilson looked at him knowingly, "You're going to do it, aren't you?"

House raised his eyebrows, "Did I say anything?"

Wilson shrugged, "It just seems too good of an opportunity for you to pass."

"Right you are," said House with a smile on his face, "and it will be so much fun."

Wilson sighed, "I assume you thought this through."

"Hey, you know me, I always thoroughly examine all of my decision and then I re-examine them, just to be sure."

"Of course you do," said Wilson, obviously giving up on trying to make House see reason. He stood up and walked towards the door. However, he just couldn't leave the office without one final piece of advice, "I just hope you know what you're doing, because I've got a feeling this will all end in tears."

Seeing that House had nothing more to say on the matter, he walked off.

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It was approaching the end of his shift and House had only one more thing to do before going home. He had made a plan. House found out on good authority that Cameron worked a double shift tomorrow, which he hoped would help lower her inhibitions. If everything goes according to plan, she'll be all over him by the end of the evening.

He smirked and pulled out his cell phone, entered Chase's number and sent him a message:

_Tomorrow, my office, 9:55 pm, bring popcorn_

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_**A/N: **_Guess what will happen in the next chapter? _:)


	8. Chapter 8

**Disclaimer:** _Refer to chapter 7._

**A/N:** _Hi. *waves nervously* Remember when I told you the kiss will be in this chapter? Right, of course you do, well, it got a bit long so… *ducks flying tomatoes and rotten eggs*_

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_**Chapter 8**

House was toying with his magic 8-ball, rolling it around on his desk. He glanced at his watch. It was almost time and he was uncharacteristingly nervous for some reason.

He was very aware of his heartbeat, which appeared to be somehow faster than normal. Placing his index and middle fingers on his wrist he felt the blood flow through the artery. One beat, two beats, three beats…

92 beats per minute… he was nervous alright. He raised his hands, running his fingers through his hair. Where was Chase?!

He picked up the magic 8-ball again and that's when Wilson's words came drifting into his mind:

"_I just hope you know what you're doing, because I've got a feeling this will all end in tears." _

To be honest, he had no clue how this will turn out or even how he wanted it to turn out. Even though he spent most of his time contemplating this or that, he rarely had a plan. He preferred to go with the flow. If a problem presented itself, he fixed it. It was as simple as that, besides, plans are overrated.

He shook the ball, concentrating on a question:

_How screwed up will all of this get?_

The answer was: **ABSOLUTELY**. He smirked, he should have known.

He was shaken out of his thoughts when he heard someone enter the office. Noticing it was Chase he put the ball back on the table and stood up. _Party time!_

"Glad you could make it," said House with an overly excited smile, "this is going to be **so** much fun. I bet you can't wait for it to start."

Chase answered in a rather low and threatening tone, "Don't push it."

House pouted, "You don't want to play? Fine. Get on the balcony then."

"What?"

House looked at him like he was missing something obvious, "_Well_, you obviously can't be in the room while I work my magic."

"You want me to wait in the balcony?" Chase asked slowly.

"That's what I said, yes. Unless you have any other ideas?" He looked at Chase expectantly.

Chase sighed, "Fine."

While Chase walked out on the balcony, House explained him the general idea.

"I'll lower the blinds, but I'll leave enough space in between for you to see through. Wilson's got some chairs on his balcony, I'm sure he wouldn't mind if you borrowed one. You might as well get comfortable, who knows how long this will take."

House didn't wait to see what Chase will do. He closed the door and lowered the blinds. He then walked around the office, lowering all the other blinds too, shielding his office from any curious onlookers.

That done, he sat down in his recliner and paged Cameron.

* * *

Meanwhile, Cameron has just finished her shift and was currently in the locker room, about to change out of her scrubs, when her pager went off. She sighed. _She should have known this was too good to be true. _The message was from House and it read:

_MY OFFICE, STAT_

She shook her head and started walking towards the elevators. _What on earth could he want from her now?_

_

* * *

_**A/N: **_I have this fake purple magic 8-ball and that was really the answer it gave me. __Next chapter will definitely see some action. And as I feel so bad for getting you all riled up and then not delivering, AND taking so long to update due to laziness I shall do everything in my power to update by Wednesday. __In the meantime, feel free to punish me as you see fit.  
_


	9. Chapter 9

**Disclaimer:** _Refer to chapter 8._

**A/N:** _Popcorn ready? _:)

* * *

**Chapter 9**

As soon as Cameron came into view of House's office, she immediately noticed that all the blinds were drawn. He barricaded himself into his office, yet again, and that usually meant trouble. She almost reconsidered her decision of coming here when she remembered that she can still leave once she finds out the ridiculous reason behind his paging her. This should be over soon, and when she gets home she'll treat herself to a nice, hot, bubbly bath. She smiled before opening the door and entering his office.

He was lying on his recliner, resting his feet on the footstool.

Keeping the door open, she casually leaned on the door frame.

"What's the big emergency?"

He answered calmly, "Close the door."

She didn't budge, so he repeated his request, "Close the door, _please_," the 'please' part being obviously exaggerated.

She reluctantly moved and closed the door behind her, taking a step forward.

"I worked a double shift today, so I'm really tired and I would appreciate it if you stopped fooling around and told me what this is all about."

"Oh, you worked a double? Didn't know that."

She placed her hands on her hips and kept looking sternly at him.

"Well, my shoulder hurts… and my back too," he continued.

She was unrelenting, "What has that to do with me?"

He smirked, "Apparently you are famous in this hospital for your magic fingers."

She raised her eyebrows, her face softening slightly, "Where did you hear that?"

"Nurses talk. You shouldn't have been so generously providing people with your services if you wanted to keep it a secret."

She sighed, "I suppose so. So, you want me to give you a massage?"

He sat up and smiled, "Since you're offering…"

She appeared to be contemplating the decision, "Fine, but my back also hurts from being on my legs the whole day, so I propose a return service."

"You'll do me if I do you?" he smirked suggestively.

She laughed softly, "In a manner of speaking, yes."

He scooted forward on the recliner, "Me first."

Still smiling, she walked over to him, lifted her right leg over the recliner and sat down behind him.

She had no idea why she agreed to this, she really did just want to go home. No, of course she knew. She'd feel too guilty, if she just left him here in pain, damn her good conscious.

She gently rested her hands on his shirt-clad shoulders and he immediately responded by leaning forward and lowering his head slightly.

She couldn't remember when was the last time she was this close to him, if ever, and the intimacy of the whole situation was making her a little nervous. She was just being silly, what was there to be nervous about?

She started moving her hands, applying light pressure.

"Your right shoulder?" she asked quietly.

"Yeah," he answered just as softly.

She continued her movements, increasing the amount of pressure. Her fingers travelled higher towards his neck, where she was making small circular movements with her thumbs.

All the while, she was concentrating on his breathing, which was slow and even. He seemed to be perfectly relaxed. Every once in a while, especially after she pressed her fingers harder, he took a deeper breath and she could feel his torso expand under the palms of her hands.

She slid both hands lower to start working on his lower back, and he leaned further down to give her better access.

Gliding her hands over his back once more she told him, "All done."

"Mmm, the nurses weren't kidding, you really have some skilful fingers."

Smiling, she stood up, "My turn."

He raised his head to look up at her. "Do I really have to?" he asked, his face a mixture of hopeful and pleading.

"That was the deal."

He sighed theatrically and scooted backwards to give her enough space to sit down.

She did so and she willed herself not to jump when he rested his hands on her shoulders.

He ran his hands up and down her upper arms when he spoke, "Triceps Brachii, Deltoid, Trapezius."

He slowly traced her muscles with just the tips of his fingers, naming them, "Infraspinatus, Teres Minor, Teres Major, Rhomboids."

He slid his hands over the sides of her back towards her lower back, "Latissimus Dorsi, Erector Spinae."

He finished the journey by resting his hands on her waist and naming the final muscle, "External oblique."

"That's how we studied in med school," he explained while beginning to massage her, "We'd find some girls and practiced our anatomy lessons on them."

"You felt them up," she stated.

"I'd prefer to think of it as a very enthusiastic and very voluntary help with our intellectual endeavours."

She laughed at that and he could feel the vibrations through his hands.

The rest of her session passed in silence and she began to gradually relax as he worked her tired muscles. By the time he was done, her eyelids were heavy. A few more minutes of this and she would probably doze off.

Noticing this, he nudged her, "Wakey, wakey."

She answered sleepily, "You're not half bad at this."

"Don't tell anyone, those nurses are all over me as it is."

He could hear laughter in her answer, "Of course."

She yawned, "I think it's time for me to go home, I can barely keep my eyes open."

She stood up and turned around to face him, "You going too?"

He swung his left leg over the recliner to meet his right one and held out his hands.

She gave him a curious look.

"My leg hurts," he gave her as an explanation.

She had no more strength in her to fight him, so she simply outstretched her arms and clasped his hands. She used all of her remaining energy to pull him up.

He sprung up right in front of her. For a moment neither of them moved, but then he tightened his hold on her hands and pulled her just that much closer.

She didn't resist. She _couldn't_ resist. She was drained of all of her energy and will-power. She was nothing but a puppet and he was the puppeteer. If he went to throw her of the roof, she wouldn't struggle. That was the truth, well, most of it.

He let go of her left hand to place his palm on her cheek, caressing it gently.

He was encouraged by the fact that she didn't recoil. _So far, so good._

Freeing his other hand, he rested it lightly on her hip, all the time keeping eye contact with her. _This is it._

She saw the distance between them vanish, inch by inch and still, she couldn't move. Her stomach was in turmoil, her nerves getting the best of her, but she remained rooted to that spot, unmoving, yielding.

She closed her eyes the moment his lips touched hers, her right hand coming to rest on his bicep of its own volition. She could feel his body heat through the thin layers of cotton and it only served to lull her further into this dream-like state.

His lips started moving over hers, slowly, faintly, until she responded.

She lifted her left hand, just barely touching his hip.

Her mouth opened instinctively in response to his and their tongues touched lightly.

He kept the kiss tender; every movement on his part a deliberate action. All, until he carefully pulled away keeping his face close to hers, their breaths mingling.

She didn't move away immediately, still too caught up in the moment, and the effect of his proximity.

When she did come to her senses, she took a step backwards, slipping out of his arms. She looked into his eyes and whispered, "I can't do this, sorry… I can't…"

And with that she almost ran out of his office, not even bothering to close the door behind her.

House was left standing there, unsure of what to think or do. His plan only came as far as this. He was still staring at his door, where she left moments ago, when he heard someone knocking.

_Right… Chase._ He should probably let him in now. He walked towards the back of his office, drew up the blinds and opened the door.

He didn't have a chance to so much as look at the guy, as Chase stormed out of the office without a word.

* * *

**A/N: **_Long, but I didn't want to break it up again, partially out of fear for what you guys would do to me. _:) _Hope it was worth the wait._


	10. Chapter 10

**Disclaimer:** _Refer to chapter 9. _

**A/N: **_To warn you, this chapter is solely Chase/Cameron, no fluff though, just angst. I also took the liberty to speculate on their sleeping arrangements, since I am not sure what they are like._

_

* * *

_**Chapter 10**

Cameron arrived at her apartment a few minutes past half midnight. She was dead beat and therefore decided to forgo the bath she was planning to take and simply collapsed into the bed after changing into her sleeping attire.

She tried not to think about today's events on the ride home, partially because she had to use all of her energy to concentrate on her driving. Now she was lying in bed, thoroughly exhausted, yet she couldn't fall asleep. Her heart was still beating faster than normal, even though it was more than half an hour since… since it happened.

Chase should be here any minute now and she dreaded facing him. She didn't know whether she'll be able to keep her cool when forced to face him. After all, this was the first time she did anything like this, the first time she… cheated on someone. Because that's what it was, there was no use downplaying it. She cheated on Chase and it felt…

Lying on her back, she covered her face with her hands. It felt good…

She heard the front door open and her heart skipped a beat. She felt panic welling up inside her. What should she do? Pretend she's sleeping? Greet him like nothing happened?

Before she could decide, Chase quietly opened the door to her bedroom and entered. There was just enough light coming from the window for her to see his silhouette.

He noiselessly stripped down to his boxers, trying not to wake her, and climbed into the bed. She turned her face towards him when she felt the bed dip.

Desperately trying to control her voice, she greeted him, "Hey."

His reply seemed colder than usual, "Still awake?"

"I just got home a few minutes ago."

He didn't say anything after that, and she could sense something strange in his attitude towards her or perhaps it was just guilt playing with her mind already.

"Everything ok? "she asked him tentatively.

"Fine, just tired. I had a hard day today."

He turned towards her and stretched out his arm in an offer for her to come closer. She hesitated for a brief moment before accepting his invitation. She snuggled into his embrace, but instead of feeling calm and comfortable like usually, she felt edgy and out of place.

She tried to relax but her mind kept drifting towards House. Not now, she can't deal with this now. She tried to focus on the man in whose arms she was laying, tightening her hold on him. She had to remind herself that _this_ was the man she loved, and _this_ was the man she wanted.

Luckily, she was so tired that she managed to fall asleep soon despite her restless state of mind.

The same couldn't be said for Chase. He was wide awake and staring at the ceiling.

He was angry with her, he was angry with House and he was angry with himself for being such a fool. Nothing in his life ever worked the way he wanted it and now that it seemed that he had finally found happiness, he was cheated out of it, quite literally.

She was telling him time and time again that she and House were history and he really wanted to believe her. He had his proof now and he wanted to yell at her at the top of his lungs,_ "See, I knew there was something between you two, but you lied to me every time I asked you about it, making me appear an overly jealous and paranoid fool! I have the proof now, so who's the fool now?!" _

Despite everything, he still wanted to believe that perhaps he has misinterpreted what he had seen. He still clung to some hope, even though he should have known better than that by now.

Nevertheless, he decided to wait for her to tell him on her own and explain the whole thing. Perhaps her explanation will make sense and months from now, when they'll look back on these days, they will laugh at how foolish he was.

He decided to wait, because he still had a shred of hope left and because he wasn't prepared to let go of her just yet.

* * *

**A/N: **_Oh, the pain and the suffering! This story will soon steer away from quiet suffering to some very loud arguments. Angst ahoy! _


	11. Chapter 11

**Disclaimer:** _Refer to chapter 10. _

**A/N: **_I'm not sure about the quality of this chapter. It took me two days to write it and I mostly started working on it past midnight, count in a moderate lack of sleep and I don't know what you'll get. However, I always edit when well rested, so at least there's that. Hope that creativity and realisation of ideas are at least somewhat up to par. _

_

* * *

_**Chapter 11**

It was 8:30 am when Chase and Cameron walked into the hospital together. They decided to take one car that day, which Cameron already regretted half way there. The ride itself was incredibly awkward as neither of them spoke more than a few words.

Cameron was relieved when they finally arrived and she couldn't wait to get to work. She really needed some time away from Chase to think through the recent turn of events.

They were walking towards the elevators when she saw Wilson come around a corner. He smiled at them and raised his hand in a greeting.

She forced a smile and waved back.

Being the first to reach the elevator, Wilson was nice enough to hold the door for them.

She gave him another smile and thanked him. Chase murmured a silent thanks as well.

Wilson could feel something strange between the pair. There was an obvious tension in the air as the elevator began to move and Wilson felt fairly uncomfortable. He tried to lighten the mood with small talk, "So, how are you two, ready for another work day?"

Cameron answered while Chase remained silent, "It's not like we have a choice."

Wilson had no idea what to say to that so he simply replied, "Right."

_So much for small talk._ He couldn't wait for this ride to be over and he was beyond relieved when he heard the ding signalling they have reached his floor.

As soon as the door opened he threw a, "Well, have a nice day." in their direction and walked away with a remarkable speed.

That was strange, he thought. Could it be that House already went forward with his plan? He'll inquire about that during lunch.

* * *

Wilson was walking towards his office when he heard an angry staccato of high hills approaching him from behind. This could only mean one thing.

He turned around to see Cuddy marching down the hallway holding a folder in her right hand. Judging by her appearance she was more than slightly aggravated and there was only one man who could get her into that state.

She stopped as she reached him and gave him an exasperated look.

Wilson smiled sympathetically, "What did he do now?"

"Oh, nothing major, just a sexual harassment suit."

"Patient or employee?" he asked, slightly amused.

"Clinic room patient. He hadn't been in the hospital for more than half an hour and there's already people threatening to sue."

Wilson shrugged, "That's House. Good luck trying to reason with him."

She sighed, "Thanks, I'll need it," and took the last few steps separating her from the object of her ill- tempered mood.

* * *

House was sitting behind his desk, resting his legs on it and rocking backwards in the chair when Cuddy stormed in.

He swung his legs off the desk and said in a reproachful tone, "Jeez woman, you trying to kill me or what?"

Cuddy slammed the papers on the desk in front of him, "It has crossed my mind several times today."

House opened the file, thumbing through the papers.

Cuddy rested her hands on the table, leaning forward slightly. "I know I'm wasting my time, but do you by any chance have a reasonable explanation for this?"

He smirked at her, "Don't I always?"

Cuddy kept piercing him with her eyes, so he decided he better elaborate, "Look, that woman was crazy. She asked for a breast enlargement even thought she already had plenty to go around. Besides, her back was killing her, so I told her that I have to advise her against it as her doctor."

"And I'm sure you phrased it just as subtly."

He shrugged.

Cuddy opened the file and read, "You told her and I quote, if you put any more weight in your trunk you'll most likely tip forward, you also told her to wind off, whatever that means."

She closed the file with a loud snapping sound.

House rolled his eyes, "I asked her if Venus of Willendorf is her idol."

Cuddy gave him a blank stare, so he explained, "That figurine?"

It didn't look like that helped so he tried once more, "Fertility icon? No? Oh, forget about it…"

He stood up and started walking towards the door but Cuddy stopped him, "House! This is serious and you don't seem to care about it one bit."

House paused in the door way and told her in his best Clark Gable impersonation, "Frankly, my dear, I don't give a damn."

He left his office with a smile on his lips.

* * *

A few hours later, House was in the cafeteria waiting in line to buy himself a Reuben. Just when he was about to pull out his wallet to pay, someone spoke behind him, "I'll get that."

It was Wilson. Without waiting for him, House walked towards a free table and sat down. A couple of seconds later Wilson joined him with his lunch.

House spoke first, "What do you want now?"

Wilson seemed surprised at that question, "Why would I want something? Can't I just enjoy lunch with a friend?"

House took a bite of his sandwich and spoke, "You bought me food…voluntarily. You only buy food when you're up to something and that something is never good."

He took another bite and added, "Too bad none of your wives knew that, they'd save themselves a lot of trouble."

Wilson sighed, "Fine. I saw Chase and Cameron this morning and there was certain tension in the air…"

He looked up at House, who remained quiet. He didn't volunteer any information, which usually meant he was on the right track, he'll just have to dig a little deeper.

"Does that have anything to do with you?"

House frowned in indignation, "How am I supposed to know? Contrary to popular belief, I can't actually read minds."

House was avoiding the issue, which could only mean one thing. Wilson's eyes widened as he asked none too quietly, "You went through with it? You kissed her?"

House looked around to see if anyone heard, luckily, no heads turned.

"This is not the best place for that particular discussion."

Wilson's curiosity got the better of him, so he persisted, "Since when do you care about that? Rather tell me what happened."

House was fidgeting in his seat, obviously nervous. His eyes travelled all around cafeteria before he finally glanced at Wilson.

"Nothing happened… we kissed… she ran away... Chase saw the whole thing…"

Wilson interrupted him, "Chase watched you?!!"

"Would you keep your voice down?"

Wilson muttered an anxious, "Sorry."

House realised that Wilson's not letting this go any time soon, so he decided to offer him some more information.

"Chase was on the balcony, we were in my office."

Wilson's expression was one of utter amazement, "And what did he say after?"

Wilson could sense slight guilt in House's answer, "Nothing, he just stormed out of my office."

"Did _she_ say anything?"

House looked at the table and rubbed his face with his hand. "She said that she's sorry, but she can't do that."

_Was that regret in House's voice?_

"But she let you kiss her?" asked Wilson in an almost comforting tone.

House sighed, "Yeah," and looked up at Wilson.

All that needed to be said was said, so House rose from his chair and walked off.

* * *

It was 5 pm when House slipped his cane into the cane holder on his bike, more than ready to go home. He unhooked his helmet from the handle bar when he heard footsteps resonating through the garage. Looking around, he found Cameron and Chase making their way towards their car. They hadn't noticed him so far.

House observed them as Chase walked towards the driver's side to unlock the door. That was when Cameron looked around and caught his gaze. Their eyes remained locked for several seconds until she heard the sound of a car door closing.

Chase was already in the car. She shook her head in order to clear it and entered the car as well.

All the while, House kept his eyes on the pair, not moving.

And none of it went unnoticed by Chase.

* * *

**A/N: **_Yes, I did actually see that movie, twice in fact. I did however miss the first half an hour both times, not that it matters much, since that movie is looooooong. Those of you who have no idea what I'm talking about, shame on you! Oh, and about the Venus figurine, just google it and you'll see what I meant. It's something that got stuck in my head from the art history classes for some reason. _


	12. Chapter 12

**Disclaimer:** _Refer to chapter 11._

**A/N: **_I was watching a Startek movie yesterday which led me to discover that captain James T. Kirk and Denny Crane from the show Boston Legal were portrayed by the same actor. No, I did not know that before. I have also discovered, to my great surprise, that the actor who played Samantha Jones in Sex and the City also had a role in said movie, as a Vulcan, no less. It was one of those Ooooh moments, which makes you see the reality in a completely different light. Anyway, I was so inspired by that fact, that I started writing this chapter at 1:30 am and have finished it mere 2 hours later and if I may say so, it is quite good._

_

* * *

_**Chapter 12**

Cameron walked into her apartment, Chase close behind her. She practically jumped out of her skin as he closed the door much louder than necessary. She turned around to face him and asked him in a worried tone, "Something wrong?"

He answered her, his voice baring strong traces of sarcasm, "I don't know, you tell me."

She was honestly confused and at a loss of what to say, "What?"

The look he was giving her could be best described as reproachful and his tone almost mocking, "Is there anything you would like to share with me, Allison?"

To Chase she appeared genuinely confused, but in reality her insides were churning with adrenaline rush, she dreaded this.

He wasn't fooled by her innocent façade, he knew better than that. He was _there_ and saw the deed with his own eyes.

"Anything interesting happened in, oh I don't know, last few days?" he asked nonchalantly.

She shook her head, "What?"

He had enough of this, his voice rose with anger, "Don't play with me Allison! You kissed him. Were you even planning to tell me or did you think it wouldn't interest me?!"

Her worst fears came true; she was cornered and saw no way out.

"How…"

"Don't even try to deny it," he continued with spite, "I saw the whole thing."

Her head was buzzing with this new information and she desperately tried to make sense of it, "How… I didn't see you..."

"That was the whole point…" he answered condescendingly.

"What?"

"I didn't trust you, so I asked House to kiss you to see how you'll react. Apparently I was right," despite everything you could hear triumph in his voice.

"You did what?!" she yelled appalled.

"You don't get to be angry at me! You were the one who cheated on me and evidently did so guilt-free," he yelled back.

"You didn't trust me enough to… I can't believe you did this!"

"Oh, don't give me that saint act. I think you've proven quite clearly that you're anything but."

She lowered her head in shame, her voice barely above a whisper now, "I would have told you…"

"When," he asked indignantly, "a year from now, when it wouldn't matter anymore? Or maybe after you bedded him, so that you'd **really** have something to tell me."

"I would never…" she tried to assure him vehemently.

"You'd never what?"

"I didn't… I was so tired and he… he was different somehow and before I knew it he…"

She sighed with despair, pleading now, "I'm really sorry Chase."

Her voice was thick with tears, "I never meant for this to happen."

He huffed, "Of course and I bet it didn't mean anything to you either, right?"

She jumped at that mitigation like a life raft, "It didn't."

Anger was replaced by sadness in Chase's voice, "Once there was a time when I wanted to believe you… It's over."

He turned around and she could only helplessly watch him walk out on her, words of justification and apology stuck in her throat.

As the door closed, she was left standing in the middle of her apartment, silent tears streaming down her face.

* * *

**A/N:** _You know what, I think I'm giving the guy too much credit. On the other hand, the writers have decided to treat the characters like pre-schoolers lately and I simply cannot bring myself to stoop to that level. _


	13. Chapter 13

**Disclaimer**_: Refer to chapter 12._

**A/N: **_Season 5 finally started here, yah... I think we're worse than most third world countries when it comes to TV schedules. And I also made you wait, didn't I? So, today's lesson is: patience is a virtue. _

_

* * *

_**Chapter 13**

It was Friday, the last work day this week, a day she usually greeted with open arms. Not today, though. The images of yesterday's argument with Chase were still too vivid in her mind.

_Argument_- that word was not nearly enough to explain what happened yesterday, too meek, too hopeful… It didn't even begin to illustrate the finality of it all.

Chase always forgave her, no matter what she did. She only had to apologise or in the worst case beg, but he **always** forgave her. This time it was different, she knew that. He was through with her and she couldn't blame him. Everything she put him through… it made her feel like the worst person in the world. She couldn't comprehend why everyone thought of her as an epitome of kindness, niceness. If they only knew.

It was treason, what she did. She once promised herself that she would never be the one who so carelessly disregards another person's feelings, a person she loves none the less.

Something has changed… And what compelled her to do this… it was House. It was **always** House.

She knew he didn't care for other peoples' feelings, but this was low even for his standards. She never thought he would do something like that to her; they seemed to get along so well recently. He was almost nice. Or perhaps that was all a lie too, just part of the plan.

She hated him at the moment, but she shouldn't think of that now. She needed to concentrate on helping her patients now. When the lunch break comes, however… then she will give him a piece of her mind.

* * *

She was avoiding him, thought House sitting behind his desk in the office. That was exactly what he expected. She'll be drowning in her guilt by now, the goody-two shoes that she was. A simple kiss was without a doubt akin to murder in her eyes, she was still so naïve.

His thoughts were suddenly interrupted by… _her _storming into his office. It looked like avoiding time was over and he had a feeling he'll regret that soon enough.

He patiently waited for her to begin her onslaught.

"I can't believe you," she exclaimed angrily, her eyes ablaze and her body tense as if prepared for a battle.

"Of all the things I thought you're capable of…"

He was lost momentarily. This kind of anger was not what he expected of her, unless…

"What are you talking about?" he asked with a frown.

"You know full well what I'm talking about."

"Obviously not, otherwise I wouldn't have asked you," he answered, bitter sarcasm seeping through his voice.

For some reason her anger was provoking his.

"This whole scheme you and Chase thought of… What were you thinking?!" she yelled, waving her hands through the air for good measure.

"You think I'm just your lab rat and you can do with me whatever you please?! You think you can just toy with me and I won't mind?!" she continued, gaining momentum.

"Hey now!" he interrupted her, shooting up from his chair, "this was Chase's idea, not mine. If you've got a problem, take it up with him… I just did him a favour."

"Right, because you're all about helping people," she mocked him.

He purposefully walked around the table and stopped a few feet before her, "You know what I think?" he asked, not waiting for her answer.

"I think that you're angry at yourself and you're taking it out on me to make you feel better. Well, guess what, it doesn't work like that."

He was leaning on his cane, gazing at her determinately.

She didn't relent, "You're the one who…"

"_You're _the one who has a boyfriend and _you're_ the one who let me kiss you, this has nothing to do with me. Just admit that you still love me and get it over with, it's not like anyone will be surprised," he informed her.

His cocky attitude made her anger flare up.

"Don't flatter yourself. I feel nothing for you, _nothing_," she spat out.

For some reason that comment stung him and he felt an overwhelming need to prove her wrong.

"Oh, yeah?" he yelled, "It sure didn't look like that to me. And I doubt your boy toy will think otherwise."

She remained quiet, frowning.

He leaned back on the desk, smirking, "Trouble in paradise? I suppose it's only so long that you can fool someone, even if that someone is Chase."

"Don't do that! Don't act like you're all innocent, because you're not! If you hadn't agreed to it..."

"Then what? You think you could just live in that bubble of yours forever? The guy is a bit slow, but he's not a complete moron… He would have figured it out eventually."

By now there was a group of people gathered outside the office staring at the two doctors who were having it out with each other. The pair either didn't notice or didn't care about the audience, since the argument only escalated.

"There's nothing to figure out! I'm over you, if I ever had any feelings for you at all. And that seems less and less possible, because how could I have loved such a …"

"Oh yeah, insult me if it makes you feel better… You can deny it all you want, I don't care either way."

"Keep telling yourself that. You didn't help Chase out of niceness, you wanted to know what it's like to be with me," she gave him a knowing smile, her face a display of complete confidence and certainty, "You knew how this would end. You wanted us to break up, because you couldn't stand the thought of me being with another guy. _You're_ the one who has feelings for me."

"Right, _I'm_ the one who's been chasing you for years… You can tell yourself whatever you want to ease your conscience, but that doesn't change the fact that you're a…" he took a step closer, so that he was directly in front of her and looked straight into her eyes when he said the next word, "cheater."

She kept her eyes on his for several seconds, the intensity of her gaze rivalling his.

Finally, she took a few steps back and spat out with venom, "Screw you, House."

He yelled after her retreating back, "You know you want to!"

The observers quickly dispersed as they noticed the murderous glint in House's eyes, not wanting to feel his wrath.

_Crap… _House sighed and averted his gaze.

It didn't take more than a few seconds for Wilson to parade into his office, "What the hell was that?! I could hear you two all the way to my office."

House limped back behind his desk and flopped down on the chair.

"I don't want to talk about it," he muttered.

"House…"

He looked at Wilson and repeated with more determination, "I don't want to talk about it."

Wilson just shook his head and walked out.

* * *

**A/N: **_So…school starts tomorrow… Well, technically today and I have no idea how this will affect my update speed. If you at any point feel I'm taking too much time, feel free to nudge me. Most likely that won't do anything, but occasionally I do budge just to get the annoying people off my back. _:)


	14. Chapter 14

**Disclaimer: **_Refer to chapter 13._

**A/N: **_Just another boring chapter. This is the first one that features the new ducklings, the main reason being that I haven't mastered their characterisations yet. So, instead of writing them terribly out of character, I prefer not to include them. _

_

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_**Chapter 14**

Later that day, House was yet again sitting behind his desk, trying not to think of Cameron. Unfortunately, the lack of patients left him with nothing to focus his mind on. He looked through the glass wall into the conference room and saw his team debating something very animatedly. Actually, Kutner was the one doing the talking and the other two looked completely disinterested.

Kutner glanced into House's office and immediately looked away as he met House's eyes. _Oh, gee, I wonder what that is all about…_

He stood up and limped into the conference room. Unsurprisingly, Kutner immediately shut up.

"Something on your mind?"

Kutner seemed to be appropriately embarrassed, but he forced himself to look at House and answered, "Nothing. I was just wondering… There is all over the hospital that you and Doctor Cameron had a…" he looked away for a moment, trying to find appropriate words. Finally, he settled on, "…lover's spat."

"If you guys want to act like nurses, you might as well go the whole nine yards. Go clean some bedpans or something," House snarked irritably.

Thirteen immediately protested, "I didn't say anything…"

House stared her down before replying, "I don't care. Scram!"

The three of them fled the room without another word, leaving House alone again.

However, demeaning his ducklings only gave him satisfaction for a few moments.

* * *

House walked into Wilson's office, interrupting the man during a phone call.

"Would Wednesday be alright with you, say 10 o'clock?"

Wilson waited for the answer before quickly finishing the call, "Good, I'm sure everything will be fine, there is no need to worry. Have a nice weekend, Ms Johnson. Good bye."

He hung up the phone before House decided to take matters into his own hands.

"Next missus Wilson?" House asked pleasantly.

"A patient," Wilson answered firmly.

House was about to say "_didn't stop you before_", but he bit his tongue for a change. As much as he hated to admit it, he needed Wilson's advice right now.

Wilson immediately noticed his friend's troubled expression, "Ready to talk now?"

House drew out a long, "No."

Wilson raised his eyebrows and House relented, "Fine… I could use some of your _expertise_."

Wilson waited expectantly for House to start venting, but House just walked to the window and gazed outside for a while. Eventually, he turned back to look at Wilson and began hesitantly, "Let's say we have this hypothetical situation, ok?"

Wilson smirked, "Ok."

He should know by now that taunting House was never a good idea, especially when House was about to confess something private.

Needless to say, House immediately retaliated, "You know, you're the perfect guy for the job, with all your cheating experience and failed marriages."

Wilson threw up his hands in surrender, "Hypothetical situation, got it."

House hesitated for a moment before continuing, "So, let's say there's this couple who supposedly love each other, but the girl cheats on the guy with someone else. Someone she used to have feelings for."

He looked at Wilson who was listening to him patiently.

"And then they brake up. And this guy she cheated on her boyfriend with… he was…they were friends."

Wilson interrupted him, "I think I saw this movie before."

House didn't react to that and Wilson decided to make this easier for him, "You want me to finish the story for you?"

House gave him a barely perceptible nod.

"The boyfriend asked this guy to kiss the girl to see which one of them she really loves. He saw the kiss and consequently broke up with the girl. But the girl somehow found out about the plan, perhaps her boyfriend told her. She gets angry with her friend and they have a huge fight. She walks off and he's left behind, feeling guilty for what he did to her."

"And then?" asked House.

Wilson smiled, "I don't know, never saw the ending."

House tapped the floor with his cane a few times, "Guess."

Wilson sighed, mentally preparing himself for the next question, "Does he love her?"

House just looked away without answering. Wilson was not surprised at that gesture since he never expected a real answer anyway.

"Well, the girl obviously still has some feelings for the guy and she feels betrayed, because he misused her trust."

House looked at the ground and Wilson knew then that House honestly felt bad about the whole situation. It turned out that House did have a heart after all.

"No matter how the guy feels about her… if he wants to make things better between them, he should apologise to her."

"That all?" House asked after he lifted his gaze again.

Wilson smiled, "Depends on how angry she is with him, perhaps you… I mean _he_ will need some drastic measures."

House glanced through the window once more and then walked out of the office, seemingly deep in thought.

* * *

**A/N: **_I should let you know that this story is coming to a close, just a few more chapters left. Awww, yes I know. I'll try to force myself to start working on the next chapter today already, or at least tomorrow, since I have nothing better to do anyway. _


	15. Chapter 15

**Disclaimer:** _Refer to chapter 14_.

**A/N: **_Wow, I expected some complaints about the previous chapter, but there were practically none. To tell you the truth, I wrote the last part during commercials of a very lame vampire movie late at night._ ^ ^'' _I may be better at jumping between moods and emotions than most people, but I was sure it would mess with the flow._ _Consequently, I also got the feeling that it was not my best work. Anyway, I'll try not to do that anymore, if not for your sake, then for my own peace of mind._

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_**Chapter 15**

House walked into his apartment and closed the door using his cane. Limping towards the couch, he threw his keys on the coffee table and flunked his helmet on the couch before collapsing on it himself. He lifted his legs on the coffee table. They came to rest on a bunch of medical journals. Leaning back, he rested his head on top of the backrest and looked at the ceiling.

His mind was a whirlwind of thoughts and emotions, all centred around one person. He hated this kind of situations. He knew he screwed up, but she wasn't innocent either. He also knew that he will have to be the one who apologizes. The ball was in his court. He wondered who invented the rules of this game, because they sucked. He was always the one who ended up on his knees when it came down to it. And he was sick of it.

Somehow he got the position of the residential fall guy even though he never applied for it. It seemed to be the consensus that everything that went wrong was his fault, even thought it wasn't always. Perhaps it was the punishment for all the things that **were** his fault. It still sucked, though.

Normally he'd say screw it, liquor up and call a hooker. _Problem, what problem? It's all cool here, in the Neverland._

He instinctively rubbed his damaged thigh.

He couldn't do this anymore. All he's been doing these past few days, ever since Chase came to him with his proposition, was thinking of Cameron. He desperately needed to take his mind off her, at least for a few hours.

He already decided that he'll save the scotch for another day. He would play the piano, but in all the years he's been playing it, he got too good. He didn't have to think about which keys to push and which notes to play. His hands almost subconsciously danced over the keyboard, leaving his mind to freely wander.

He lifted his head and opened his eyes. He immediately spotted his keys, lying near an empty bier bottle. The decision was made.

He grabbed them as well as his helmet and limped towards the door. His cane was left lying on the couch. He won't need it tonight.

Breathing in the fresh air, he climbed on the bike and put on his helmet. He already felt the first waves of relief wash over him.

Taking a deep breath he started up the engine, got the bike into gear and twisted the throttle. Before you knew it, he was already meandering through the streets of Princeton.

This was exactly what he needed. The icy air was beating his face as he sped towards the outskirts of the city.

He already had it all figured out. He knew of a perfect road just outside of the city. Good traction, nice scenery, few cars, and most importantly, a smaller chance of getting a speeding ticket there.

This was his catharsis. The blurred images of houses, cars and people he passed by made him feel like he was not a part of this world anymore. He was caught in this bubble, which liberated him from everyday banalities and problems. He desperately needed that, if only for an hour or two. He needed to let lose.

Most people didn't understand. The prospect of cracking his skull open wasn't what he was after. Of course, the sense of danger was thrilling, but he didn't drive like a maniac because of that either. The main reason was that at the speeds he was riding, he either had to devote all his attention to keeping the bike upright or he'd crash.

His mind was a constant whirlwind of thoughts and riding his bike was one of the few occasions he was free of them.

When the last few buildings disappeared into the distance, he leaned forward, clutching the 1000cc beast between his legs with all his might. The tyres desperately gripped the asphalt as he gave it full throttle. He relished in the slight jerk his bike gave and the change in the wind resistance as he sped off into the distance.

* * *

**A/N: **_I am actually quite satisfied with this chapter for a change. I thought the next one would be last, but I discovered that I need one more to wrap this story up. So, there is still something for you guys to look forward to. _:)


	16. Chapter 16

**Disclaimer: **_Refer to chapter 15._

**A/N: **_Oh yes, it's short and I've got a feeling the next one will be even shorter. Nevertheless, enjoy!_

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_**Chapter 16**

It was a cloudy Saturday afternoon and Cameron was sitting behind her kitchen table, waiting for the water to boil. A coup of tea seemed like a good idea.

Ever since yesterday, a myriad of different emotions kept rushing through her body, all starting in House's office.

She couldn't remember when was the last time she was that angry, but she could probably safely say that it was directed at House at the time as well.

She was literally out of control. It was only later on that she realised they put on quite a show for the hospital personnel. Probably the whole hospital knew by now about their little spat, patients included.

She tapped her fingers on the table nervously.

She never liked to be in the limelight, but at that moment she didn't care if the whole world heard them. House knew just the right buttons to push to get a reaction. It was probably her fault for giving him leverage.

She jumped a little when the kettle whistled. After standing up she moved to the counter. Almost mechanically, she poured the boiling water into her cup and reached for a teabag. As the water began to soak the thin material, colouring the water deep red, her thoughts drifted back to the moment she arrived at her apartment yesterday.

Her anger had gradually dissipated over the course of the day and all that was left was a profound sense of betrayal. All she could do was delay the flood of tears, threatening to fall, until the moment she closed the door behind her, but as soon as she was safely inside her own apartment, the dam broke.

She ran inside her bedroom, collapsed on the bed and buried her face into a pillow. Her tears seeped thought the cotton as heavy sobs shook her body. She was an idiot for letting him get to her, but she couldn't help it.

She has become stronger over the last few years, ironically, mostly thanks to him. Perhaps that was why he knew exactly how to penetrate that hard shell she flaunted around nowadays. She could easily dismiss what other people said to her, but his well aimed barbs still cut deep into her heart.

She disposed of the teabag and took a knife out of the drawer, driving it into a firm lemon. She squeezed half of the lemon into her cup and added a spoonful of sugar. Stirring her tea, she sat down again.

What if it hurt so much, because his words still meant more to her than those of any other person?

She looked at the slowly swirling liquid.

She would be lying if she said that idea didn't cross her mind every now and then. She let him get too close, but perhaps it wasn't even a conscious choice.

The liquid came to a stop as she removed the teaspoon. She gently blew into the cup before taking a tentative sip. The pleasant fruity taste of hibiscus blended well with the sour tang of lemon.

This whole ordeal made it painfully clear that House still had a certain power over her. The kiss…

The hot brew made its way towards her stomach, warming her whole body in the process and soothing her soul.

House was right. It **was** her fault. She let him kiss her. He gave her more than enough time to back off, but she didn't.

She suddenly realised that she wasn't sure, if she regretted it. She was sorry for Chase and she _did _regret hurting him, but they could never work out. Not when her whole heart wasn't in it, as was his.

And House… What was there to say about him?

She took another gulp of tea, relishing in the taste.

She could never stay angry with him for long. Somehow, he just made everything better. That was, when he didn't make it worse.

She smiled, tracing the rim of the cup with her index finger.

All of a sudden, a knock on the door interrupted her musings.

* * *

**A/N: **_Yes, the next chapter will be the last and it will very likely be very short. How can I resolve such a complex issue using so few words? I suppose you'll have to read to find out. Any complaints about length will be noted and disregarded. It is what it is. _


	17. Chapter 17

**Disclaimer: **_Refer to chapter 16._

**A/N: **_So, this turned out to be a bit longer than expected, not that you'll mind. _:)_ Hope it is a worthy conclusion of this story. Enjoy._

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* * *

_**Chapter 17**

_And House… What was there to say about him? _

_She took another gulp of tea, relishing in the taste._

_She could never stay angry with him for long. Somehow, he just made everything better. That was, when he didn't make it worse. _

_She smiled, tracing the rim of the cup with her index finger._

_All of a sudden, a knock on the door interrupted her musings._

She lifted her head in surprise. Who could it be at this time?

Another knock sounded through her apartment, but she remained seated. She contemplated whether she was willing to see anyone at the moment or not. Truth be told, she was still a bit shook up and not at all sure about the state of her emotions. On the other hand, it could be someone from the hospital. But they would have called, wouldn't they?

Yet another knock resonated through the silence of her apartment. That was when she stood up. It might be something urgent and she couldn't take that chance.

Walking towards the front door, she tried to compose herself and rid her mind of the ever-present image of House. She laid her hand on the door handle and took a deep breath.

Would she have opened the door if she knew who was on the other side?

Sure enough, it was House. She honestly didn't expect him. She thought he'd either avoid her until she approached him first or act as if nothing happened between them.

But here he was, standing in front of her in a sky blue shirt and faded jeans, leaning heavily on his cane. His head was hung low and he didn't speak, as if he was in mourning.

She kept her eyes focused on him, taking him in. She didn't know what to say.

When the silence became borderline uncomfortable, he lifted his head and his eyes flicked to hers. He held her gaze only for a second or two before he looked at the ground again. He was obviously very uncomfortable.

He shifted a little and that was when she noticed he was hiding his left hand behind his back. She didn't have to wonder about it for long, because that was when he revealed to her the object he was holding.

It was a single red rose, complete with thorns and all.

She hesitantly outstretched her hand and took it.

A wry smile graced her lips as she asked him with a hint of ridicule in her voice, "You think you can just sweep me off my feet with this one romantic gesture?"

She glanced up at him to find him observing her. This time he didn't look away.

"Can I?" he asked her, his voice laced with sincere hope, which was mirrored in the glimmer of his eyes.

She glanced back at the rose in her hand, deciding. What was she to say?

It was one of those moments, when she wished she had the power to freeze time. That way she could thoroughly examine every option and find the best course of action. As it was, she didn't have that luxury. She knew he was waiting for her response, but she couldn't decide.

She didn't expect this. It never crossed her mind that he would…

Running her thumb slowly over one of the thorns, she felt its hard and smooth texture melt so delicately into a sharp spike. The tip scratched lightly against her skin.

Finally, she looked up and said, "There's no rose without a thorn."

He smiled ruefully, "I'm no rose. I'm more of a cactus or that meat eating plant."

It was her turn to smile and she did so without holding back. Suddenly a peculiar warmth started spreading throughout her body, like a soft flame, enveloping her from within. She forced herself to tear her eyes from his, looking at the rose again, but the feeling didn't go away.

He simply stood there and waited for her. This time he was the one who was waiting and it seemed his patience was limitless. She could feel his gaze on her and she couldn't help but look up at him again.

Meeting his eyes again, it felt as if the choice was already made for her. She took a small step forward and tentatively raised her left hand, placing it on his chest.

He didn't move an inch, merely observing her.

She kept her eyes on his as she slid her hand up his chest, past his neck and finally letting it rest on his cheek. It was warm and prickly, just like the last time.

She stood up on tiptoes, leaning in while pulling his face gently towards hers. He didn't hesitate in meeting her half way.

**"That's all Folks!"**

**

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****A/N: **_There will be absolutely no sequel. I don't care how badly you want it. I am, however, thinking about a new story, sort of a Halloween special. I'm not sure if you'll like it or even if I'll like it, but I would really like to get the idea out of my head. If I decide to write it, you can expect the first chapter soon, because there wouldn't be much point in starting it after the Halloween, would it? _


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